10 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Career

In this post, let me share all freeinterviewquestions.net 's readers about 10 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Career (source: careerealism.com). If you want to share more career development tips, please leave your comments at the end of this post.

1. Set small goals regularly

When it comes to annual reviews, there is so much focus on goals for the year. A year is a long time; too long in fact to set tangible, achievable goals. Therefore, it is far more wise to set smaller goals throughout the year. Think about your day-to-day work. What could you be doing to elevate that work? Are there skills you could learn to help you advance? Think about this for a bit and then make a list of goals that relate to these items.

And then, once you’ve set the goals, give yourself a deadline to have learned these things. When you’ve hit the deadline… give yourself a grade. Seriously. It works. Did you do it? Did you do it well? Then ask someone else how they would score or grade you on these new skills. Then rinse and repeat.

2. Stretch yourself

The smartest of us say that success is just outside our comfort zone. So, it goes without saying that you must stretch beyond your area of expertise. Do something that scares you. Don’t like public speaking, start signing up for presentations at work or networking events. Does it terrify you to put your industry thoughts out there? Ask someone for the opportunity to guest post. Whatever gives you the collywobbles; sign up for it, today.

3. Get feedback

While self-assessment is important, it is also important to get feedback. And it is important to get feedback all the time. I happen to ask at the end of each and every meeting I lead with the following questions: “What really worked for you?” and “What would make it even better if?” You can learn a lot from these two questions. So much about your work product and performance can be gleaned with these two questions. Give it a try and see what you learn.

4. Curate your work

Do you have any idea how many amazing things you’ve done this year? Probably not, because you aren’t curating that great work anywhere to revisit it. There are countless places for you to store this work in a cloud. Check out Dropbox, CredHive, or OneDrive and start curating your work. When you’ve got a great file of work you’ve produced and are proud of, it’s like writing your resume as you go. It is also easy to share with your manager at review time. You’re better prepared to wow them when you’ve got yourself visual proof of your awesome-ness.

5. Be curious about your industry

Spend time each and every week as a student of your industry or company. Study your industry and company as if there is a constantly approaching final exam. Ask questions of people in your space. Ask questions to your manager and colleagues. Ask your companies customers how they feel. Develop thoughtful insights about the industry and your company. And don’t be shy about sharing those insights.

6. Read

Spend time reading blogs big and small. Spend time reading books about your profession. Read business books that stretches your thinking. But at the end of the day… read. Reading new things can start conversations when you’re networking and can also build your own career with new ways to do things and different work and life hacks to make life flow a little more smoothly.

7. Network brilliantly

Never, ever, ever send a standard LinkedIn invite. Ever. Cannot stress this enough. Personalize the message and tell the recipient what you need from them and how you can help them as well. If you do not know someone, ask someone in your network for an introduction. Networking brilliantly is about leaving a positive impression. And it isn’t just LinkedIn. Attend industry events, local events and meet as many people as you can. This will also help in being curious about your industry.

8. Get a mentor

Mentors are great resources for all of these elements. Need feedback? Ask your mentor. Need to bounce off industry or company insights? Looking for ways to stretch… Mentor!

9. Get a protégé

Conversely, a good protégé can also be a tremendous resource to learn from as well. A protégé can bust some of your paradigms. They can also expose you to new thinking and present you with new ways to solve problems and look at things.

10. ABL (Always be listening)

Even if you are really happy in your current role, it never hurts to listen to other opportunities and build relationships with new people in the industry. These relationships may build in the future because you never know how you will cross paths in the future. Always be open to new opportunities and people, plus it feels really good when you get noticed!

10 Tips for Successful Career Planning

In this post, let me share all freeinterviewquestions.net 's readers about 10 Tips for Successful Career Planning (source: livecareer.com). If you want to share more career development tips, please leave your comments at the end of this post.

1. Make Career Planning an Annual Event

Many of us have physicals, visit the eye doctor and dentist, and do a myriad of other things on an annual basis, so why not career planning? Find a day or weekend once a year — more often if you feel the need or if you’re planning a major career change — and schedule a retreat for yourself. Try to block out all distractions so that you have the time to truly focus on your career — what you really want out of your career, out of your life.

By making career planning an annual event, you will feel more secure in your career choice and direction — and you’ll be better prepared for the many uncertainties and difficulties that lie ahead in all of our jobs and career.

2. Map Your Path Since Last Career Planning

One of your first activities whenever you take on career planning is spending time mapping out your job and career path since the last time you did any sort of career planning. While you should not dwell on your past, taking the time to review and reflect on the path — whether straight and narrow or one filled with any curves and dead-ends — will help you plan for the future.

Once you’ve mapped your past, take the time to reflect on your course — and note why it looks the way it does. Are you happy with your path? Could you have done things better? What might you have done differently? What can you do differently in the future?

3. Reflect on Your Likes and Dislikes, Needs and Wants

Change is a factor of life; everybody changes, as do our likes and dislikes. Something we loved doing two years ago may now give us displeasure. So always take time to reflect on the things in your life — not just in your job — that you feel most strongly about.

Make a two-column list of your major likes and dislikes. Then use this list to examine your current job and career path. If your job and career still fall mostly in the like column, then you know you are still on the right path; however, if your job activities fall mostly in the dislike column, now is the time to begin examining new jobs and new careers.

Finally, take the time to really think about what it is you want or need from your work, from your career. Are you looking to make a difference in the world? To be famous? To become financially independent? To effect change? Take the time to understand the motives that drive your sense of success and happiness.

4. Examine Your Pastimes and Hobbies

Career planning provides a great time to also examine the activities you like doing when you’re not working. It may sound a bit odd, to examine non-work activities when doing career planning, but it’s not. Many times your hobbies and leisurely pursuits can give you great insight into future career paths.

Think you can’t make a hobby into a career? People do it all the time. The great painter Paul Gauguin was a successful business person who painted on the side. It actually wasn’t until he was encouraged by an artist he admired to continue painting that he finally took a serious look at his hobby and decided he should change careers. He was good at business, but his love was painting.

5. Make Note of Your Past Accomplishments

Most people don’t keep a very good record of work accomplishments and then struggle with creating a powerful resume when it’s time to search for a new job. Making note of your past accomplishments — keeping a record of them — is not only useful for building your resume, it’s also useful for career planning.

Sometimes reviewing your past accomplishments will reveal forgotten successes, one or more which may trigger researching and planning a career shift so that you can be in a job that allows you to accomplish the types of things that make you most happy and proud.

6. Look Beyond Your Current Job for Transferable Skills

Some workers get so wrapped up in their job titles that they don’t see any other career possibilities for themselves. Every job requires a certain set of skills, and it’s much better to categorize yourself in terms of these skill sets than be so myopic as to focus just on job titles.

For example, one job-seeker who was trying to accomplish career planning found herself stuck because she identified herself as a reporter. But once she looked beyond her job title, she could see that she had this strong collection of transferable skills — such as writing, editing, researching, investigating, interviewing, juggling multiple tasks, meeting goals and deadlines, and managing time and information — skills that could easily be applied to a wide variety of jobs in many different careers.

7. Review Career and Job Trends

Everyone makes his or her own job and career opportunities, so that even if your career is shrinking, if you have excellent skills and know how to market yourself, you should be able to find a new job. However, having information about career trends is vital to long-term career planning success.

A career path that is expanding today could easily shrink tomorrow — or next year. It’s important to see where job growth is expected, especially in the career fields that most interest you. Besides knowledge of these trends, the other advantage of conducting this research is the power it gives you to adjust and strengthen your position, your unique selling proposition. One of the keys to job and career success is having a unique set of accomplishments, skills, and education that make you better than all others in your career.

8. Set Career and Job Goals

Develop a roadmap for your job and career success. Can you be successful in your career without setting goals? Of course. Can you be even more successful through goal-setting? Most research says yes.

A major component of career planning is setting short-term (in the coming year) and long-term (beyond a year) career and job goals. Once you initiate this process, another component of career planning becomes reviewing and adjusting those goals as your career plans progress or change – and developing new goals once you accomplish your previous goals.

9. Explore New Education/Training Opportunities

It’s somewhat of a cliche, but information really does lead to power and success. Never pass up chances to learn and grow more as a person and as a worker; part of career planning is going beyond passive acceptance of training opportunities to finding new ones that will help enhance or further your career.

Take the time to contemplate what types of educational experiences will help you achieve your career goals. Look within your company, your professional association, your local universities and community colleges, as well as online distance learning programs, to find potential career-enhancing opportunities — and then find a way achieve them.

10. Research Further Career/Job Advancement Opportunities

One of the really fun outcomes of career planning is picturing yourself in the future. Where will you be in a year? In five years? A key component to developing multiple scenarios of that future is researching career paths.

Of course, if you’re in what you consider a dead-end job, this activity becomes even more essential to you, but all job-seekers should take the time to research various career paths — and then develop scenarios for seeing one or more of these visions become reality. Look within your current employer and current career field, but again, as with all aspects of career planning, do not be afraid to look beyond to other possible careers.

Top 5 Achievable Career Goals

In this post, let me share all freeinterviewquestions.net 's readers about Top 5 Achievable Career Goals (source: udemy.com). If you want to share more career goals, please leave your comments at the end of this post.

Successful people have goals, but even if you have a career or are already in a professional position, you may struggle on occasion with progressing along a path upwards in your career.  It can be easy to feel suffocated, confined, or lacking direction when it comes to navigating through a career.  To keep from veering off track, it is helpful to set up career goals.  Career goals will represent objectives, benchmarks, and milestones in your career.  Let’s take a look at some beneficial career goal examples to set you up for success with your chosen field.

How to Set A Career Goal

Before you set a career goal, there are few things that you should know about goals, as they are set on various levels.

1. First, decide what you want to do, accomplish, or be in life.
2. Secondly, split your larger goal into smaller and more achievable goals or targets that you have to achieve.  This will make accomplishing your goal easier to manage and will help streamline the process into reaching your ultimate goal.
3. Finally, you will want to formulate and develop a proper plan for your goal.  It can be best to establish a step by step plan that will enable you to start working towards achieving it.

5 Career Goal Examples

Increase Performance Metrics:  Certain industries and companies use performance metrics when they evaluate an employee’s performance, productivity, and effectiveness levels.  Metric numbers generally measure things such as customer satisfaction, organization performance, employee competence, and cost management.  Metrics are usually measured on a weekly basis, but they can be measured daily as well.  A good career goal could be to increase your performance metrics, which will help show the value that you bring as an employee to the organization or company that you are working for.

Earn a Promotion:  It is always a good feeling to get promoted, and a promotion involves careful planning, commitment, and execution on your part as an employee.  For instance, you may need to: do additional work, take on more projects, develop relationships with other department members, and update your resume.  A promotion will generally be a long term goal that you can work towards overtime.

Earn a Management Position:  After you have been working with a company or business for awhile, you might have an itch to advance in your position.  If your career goal is to earn a management or an executive position, your goal could range from lasting 6 months, to 5 to 10 years depending on the field that you are in.  This type of career goal can require a series of short term goals to help you reach the position you desire.

Get a Job:  For many people, especially in this economy, an example of a career goal might be obtaining employment and finding a career.  If you are looking to find employment, there are plenty of short term goals that you can develop that can be completed before you reach your final goal of obtaining a career.  Remember to be patient in trying to find a job, as it can be a long but rewarding process.

Earn A Degree or Certificate:  Earning a degree or a certificate is a great step into jumpstarting you career goals and putting you on a path towards success.  Most careers require that the person has specific knowledge, education, or a specific degree when it comes to furthering or advancing in their career.  Once you are able to obtain proper education, you can look to increasing your career goal options.

More Career Goal Examples

• Switch jobs to one that you know you will enjoy more.
• Identify personal boundaries at work and know what you should do to make your day more productive and manageable.
• Communicate more effectively at work.
• Feel happier and more positive during your workday.
• Develop more friendships at work and try to be less competitive.
• Double your sales or productivity, depending on your job.
• Pick up and learn a new skill.
• Set your eye on a specific award at work and go for it.
• Be more organized with your daily goals.
• De-clutter your work space and keep yourself organized throughout the week.
• Partner up with another person to increase productivity.
• Find a mentor or become a mentor.
• Be known as an expert in a certain field or area.
• Manage your clients better and more efficiently.
• Create a website, promotional material, or social media page for your business.
• Improve company profitability by a certain percentage.
• Delegate work and tasks more effectively to increase your own productivity.
• Send thank you notes to staff, clients, and managers.
• Take a vacation and log off from work to fresh your mind.
• Learn how to network better and attend networking events.
• Learn how to reduce work hours without compromising productivity.
• Go after the career of your dreams to find work in a field that does not feel like a job.
• Stop micromanaging your staff.

• Reduce personal or business expenses by a certain percentage.
• Join Toastmasters to improve your presentation and speaking skills.
• Delete old emails and old files from computer to make yourself more organized.
• Learn how to say “NO” politely at work.
• Learn how to under-promise and over-deliver with clients or managers to surprise them.
• Develop relationships with coworkers and clients to make work seem more enjoyable.
• Become more creative and break out of your rut.
• Build a personal brand or an online website or blog.
• Do things that will make you feel more energized at work.
• Ask for a raise.
• Update your resume and cover letter.
• Send out a certain number of resumes each day to potential employers if you are looking for a job.
• Ask your boss for more responsibility or more clients at work.
• Ask to be trained more for skills in a new department.

Tips for Setting A Career Goal

1. Know your strengths and weaknesses.  There are probably certain areas of life where you can better excel professional than others.
2. Know what you overall goal is for your career.  Ask yourself questions such as, “Where do I want to be in “X” number of years?”  This will help you know where your life is going and how it will intersect with your career.  There may be other goals that you will be interested in pursuing with time, so develop a time frame for your goal.
3. Know the steps you will need to take to achieve your goal in “X” amount of time.  Consider any road blocks you may face and think about how you will overcome them.
4. Be sure to measure the progress of your goal each week or month.  This will help keep you motivated and provide you with a sense of accomplishment.

Top 8 Tips to Help Create a Positive Attitude

In this post, let me share all freeinterviewquestions.net 's readers all freeinterviewquestions.net 's readers about: Top 8 Tips to Help Create a Positive Attitude. If you have any questions, please leave your comments at the end of this post.

1. Remember that you are powerful.

Most of the time we have no idea what we are supposed to be doing, or who we are supposed to be imitating. I say “imitating” because this is what we do: We conform to the external environment.

We play roles and cover up our true selves by identifying with “things” that end up defining who we think we are. I’m a doctor, a salesperson, a secretary, a lawyer; I’m sad, happy, lonely, or miserable. I’m angry, jealous, afraid, and I can’t help it—it’s who I am.

The truth is, though, we are none of those things. They are symptoms of the sleepwalking disease. You are more important than any label. We are not our professions. We are not our feelings. We are not our circumstances. We are not even our mind.

What we are is far greater, far superior, far more important, and far more mysterious than our conceptual mind tries to define. This is why we are far more powerful than we think we are.

2. Choose to embrace life.

Let go and embrace the moment, whether it contains an obstacle or an opportunity. Stop fussing over trivial matters and start focusing on what’s really important to you.

Don’t go through life expecting things to change. Life becomes hard and unfair when we decide to complain about things rather than trying to change them ourselves. Wake up to the truth that life is not a practice-run.

Be bold and courageous, and make decisions that benefit your growth. Put yourself on your imaginary death-bed and realize that time stands still for no one. Start as soon as possible to make any necessary changes you may need to.

Take the first step before more time gradually passes by while you stand still stagnating. Your choice. Your life. Your responsibility. Your power.

3. Realize that you get to control your reactions.

We create our outside reality by the thoughts and beliefs we maintain about life in general. What we believe in our inner world, we see in our outer world—not the other way around.

We all have problems, and we’re often tested by circumstances outside of our control. Even though you may not be in control of what’s going on outside of you, you most definitely can control your reaction to those situations.

We have the power because our inner world (cause) affects the influence we allow the outer world (effect) to have on us. So next time you hear somebody mention that you have great personal power, know they are 100% correct. You have more control than you think.

4. Know that no one is better qualified.

We place far too much emphasis on other people’s opinions about us, often to the exclusion of our own. This takes away from our own personal power. No matter what anybody says about you, it doesn’t hold any significance to who you truly are unless you identify or agree with them.

Stop identifying with other people’s opinions and become aware of how you see yourself. Nobody knows you better than you do. Never accept another person’s reality as your own. Always believe that you can achieve anything you put your mind to. And, most importantly, never let another person’s opinion of you affect what you believe about yourself.

5. Believe that you are more than enough.

If you have to compare yourself to someone else, let it be a person who is less fortunate, and let it be a lesson to learn just how abundant your life truly is. It’s just a matter of perspective.

You may find that you are not entirely grateful for what you possess. You may believe that you need more than you have right now to be happy. If this is the case, then you are absolutely right—you will need more, and you will continue to need more.

This cycle will perpetuate as long as your mind believes it to be true. If you focus on what you have, and not on what you lack, you will always have enough, because you will always be enough.

6. Love yourself.

You have arrived. Everything you need is right here. Cut out the distractions, open your eyes, and see that you already have everything in your possession to be happy, loved, and fulfilled.

It’s not out there. It never was out there. It’s in the same place it was since the day you were born. It’s just been covered up by all the external things you have identified with over the years.

Be yourself. Love yourself completely and accept everything that you are. You are beautiful. Believe it, and most importantly, remind yourself often.

7. Stay cool.

If someone cuts us off in traffic or skips the queue at our local cinema, we may feel our blood pressure begin to rise and feel the need to react in a negative manner. We get uptight with other people’s actions, and in the end we punish ourselves for their bad behavior.

We end up losing control over our own actions because of the way other people act. But we are responsible for our own action, regardless of how rude other people may act. If it’s hard to stay cool, remember: you are the one who loses in the end, if you lose the lesson.

8. Journey well.

We know life is about the journey and not the arrival. We don’t need to arrive if we accept that we are already here.

Be content with where you are today and don’t make the mistake of putting off being happy because you are waiting for the right moment to shine. Sometimes it takes a conscious effort to enjoy the journey.

Not everyone woke up this morning and not everyone will go to bed tonight. Life has no guarantees. Every minute you are living is a blessing that has to be experienced in the moment. It’s not always easy, but it’s always an option—a choice. Your choice.

Top 9 Tips to Improve Communication Skills

In this post, let me share all freeinterviewquestions.net 's readers about: Top 9 Tips to Improve Communication Skills. If you have any questions, please leave your comments at the end of this post.

Communication is an essential part of work and home life. Understanding how to be a good communicator can be an important productivity tool, one that’s frequently neglected. Poor communication can often have disastrous results; lost time, injured feelings, frustration, ineffective meetings, unproductive teamwork, resulting in a general lack of career advancement and goal achievement. To become effective communicators we need to be aware of a few fundamental tips we can use in our work and life interactions. Regardless of the situation, the same rules apply.

9 Easy Tips to Improve Communication Skills

Show Appreciation

Prior to getting into the meat of your conversation, be sure to express your thanks for the other individual’s time. Time is an extremely precious resource, and it important to be respectful and considerate of that. Also, complement or recognize any positive contribution they are making. Appreciation and praise can go a long way towards building good rapport.

Connect

Connect on a personal level if possible. Look for places where interests overlap if any exist. Even in a professional situation, there may be some personal interests in common, hobbies, sports, children, etc. Take care to avoid such controversial topics as political leanings or religious beliefs. A real sense of connection makes a difference in the tone and outcome of the current conversation and most likely future communications as well.

Stay positive

Maintaining a positive attitude is crucial to productive communications. Be constructive rather than negative or complaining. People shut down, effectively ending any real communication when they feel attacked or criticized. Be encouraging and kind even when expressing concerns or displeasure.

Watch tone

While it’s sometimes necessary to be assertive in order to make your point, don’t be aggressive. There is a fine line between the two. Try not to cross it. An adversarial tone is not in any way productive. Be confident and direct, while still adopting a calm, cooperative tone.

Focus on the result

It’s important to figure out what result you are after before you start the conversation. Knowing your objective helps you to direct the conversation and to remain on point. What are you hoping to accomplish? Are you trying to give help, resolve a conflict, or collaborate on a project or issue? Are you seeking advice or trying to influence behavior? Your desired outcome helps to determine the flow of communication.

Listen

Eye contact is crucial. Be polite and don’t interrupt. No one likes being interrupted and though it’s natural to want to rush in to make your point, it’s very disrespectful of the other person’s thoughts. Try to understand the other person’s perspective. Maintain an open mind. Learning how to value different viewpoints can be an important communication tool.

Notice non-verbal cues

Watch body language. Lack of eye contact, distraction, or fidgeting are often signs of restlessness or impatience. Yawning or sighing are usually signs of mental or physical fatigue. When you notice these types of non-verbal signals, it’s a sign that this conversation is not going to be a productive one. Quickly wrap up the conversation, postpone the conversation, or inquire about the discomfort if your relationship allows.

Request feedback

Confirm that you have a mutual understanding of what’s being communicated. We often think that we’ve reached a resolution and come to an understanding, only to find out that we have completely misunderstood the other person’s thoughts. Ask for input and feedback. This not only confirms that you have successfully communicated; it also makes the other person feel that they have been heard and understood.

Follow-up

Be clear about what actions will be taken and establish accountability. Confirm deadlines, responsibility, and expectations. If relevant, document any agreements in writing. A clear understanding of what is supposed to happen next can help avoid a conflict later on.

Always try to end your communication in a friendly manner. Reiterate your thanks and try to leave the other individual feeling understood and valued. Productive communication involves respect, consideration, awareness, and clarity. It is possible to be both direct and kind and still get the results you want.

Top 10 Job Skills Every Employer Wants

In this post, let me share all freeinterviewquestions.net 's readers about: Top 10 Job Skills Every Employer Wants. If you have any questions, please leave your comments at the end of this post.

With competition for new jobs at an all-time high, employees must have the skills employers are targeting.

From the ability to communicate effectively to the willingness to wear multiple hats around the office, employers today seek workers with a variety of the skills. Here are 10 skills employers look for most in today's fast-paced, technologically advanced workplace:

Communication

In today's workplace, communication is the skill of utmost importance, said Charley Polachi, co-founder and partner at Polachi Access Executive Search.

"You must have communication skills that allow you to succinctly and effectively contribute your thoughts," Polachi said. "An effective communicator leaves no room for error and can exhibit thoughts in a direct manner."

Commitment

Commitment to both their job and their employer is something Dennis Boone, former president and CEO of Verizon New Jersey and the current director of Montclair State University's Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship at the School of Business, has always looked for in workers.

"An employee committed to achieving their goals and objectives is a marvel to witness," Bone told BusinessNewsDaily. "I especially value the employee that, when times are tough, continues to strive for solutions and refrains from the 'blaming others' behavior that, unfortunately, we see too often."

The Extra Mile

In order to gain a boss' confidence, employees must be willing to go above and beyond what is typically required of them on the job, said Brett Good, a senior district president for Robert Half International.

"Employees who take on projects that fall outside their normal responsibilities can expand their skill set and explore new avenues for professional growth," Good said. "While you may not always have the time to volunteer for an extra assignment, passing on every opportunity will prevent you from being viewed by your manager as a go-to person in the department."

Wear Multiple Hats

Kevin Watson, CEO and co-founder of jobdreaming, said small businesses don't have room for people who just want to do their job, and their job only.

"Employees that will get hired more easily and ultimately succeed are those that show an eager willingness to do whatever needs to get done, not just what's in their job description," Watson said.

Positive Attitude

Having anything but a positive attitude is non-negotiable for Brian Goodman, managing director of Experis.

"Attitude drives success, and people want to be around positive people. It is contagious, and others will notice," Goodman said. "Naysayers are a drag on business."

Decision Makers

Executive coach and leadership consultant Dave Gambrill believes the one skill that every employee must have is the ability to think critically and make appropriate decisions.

"Leaders don't want to micromanage their employees, but often they are forced to because the employees lack critical thinking skills," Gambrill said. "Ideally, you'd like to say, 'I trust you to make decisions that are good for the business,' and let people come up with their own solutions."

Passion

Elle Kaplan, CEO and founding partner of Lexion Capital Management LLC, said it is important for entrepreneurs to find employees who are just as passionate about their job as the boss is.

"When an employee believes strongly in the company's mission, their job is no longer a job. It's a calling," Kaplan said. "I've learned firsthand that people work harder when they feel connected to and believe in your mission as a leader and the mission of the company."

Organized

In today's fast-moving business world, the worst thing an employee can be is a drain on their boss' time, said Nick Gidwani, founder of Skilledup.com.

"Employees should be always adding value, and the easiest way to destroy value, so to speak, is to not have your own work organized," Gidwani said. "That could mean simple ideas like naming files or folders properly, or more substantial tasks like writing high-quality meeting recaps."

Dependable

Wendy Pike, president of Twist office products, said she searches for employees who can be depended on consistently to get the job done.

"As an employer, we need to be able to count on our employees to show up on time and do the work we are paying them to do," Pike said.

Conscientiousness

Time and time again, conscientiousness proves itself to be among the top indicators of job performance, said Lynda Zugec, managing director of The Workforce Consultants. "Make sure you pay attention to the details," Zugec said. "Spelling and grammatical errors, lost and misplaced files, or general disorganization have the potential to make or break you."

15 secrets to become famous singer

==> Learn to become a pro singer by singorama

1.  Secret #1: Kickass Vocal Technique

Vocal technique is one of the best kept secret weapons in the industry. No one talks about it, or wants to admit it — but it’s the discerning difference between the good and the great voices out there. And the great singers practice it to be on their A game. All the time.

Lady Gaga blew us away at her Oscar performance a few years back— and are you ready for this? She not only worked with a coach, she worked with a coach every day for 6 months! Why you ask? Because she wanted to blow people away with her voice. And it worked. Brilliant.

Legend Whitney Houston, known for her incredible vocal chops, was going back to training just before she passed away. She knew, as did Clive, how important her practice was to her voice. And she was one of the greatest singers of all time.

When it’s your voice and career on the line, who wouldn’t want every possible trick and technique in the book?

Pro singers vocalize 5 days a week.

Aspiring singers vocalize 2 days a week.

Hobbyists vocalize whenever they feel like it ;).

Quick Tip: Study vocal technique 5x a week for a period of 2-3 (or more) years. I studied and trained for 8 years. I vocalized 5x a week for 5 years. That’s what it takes for a contemporary singer to build a killer voice and a technique that will run on auto-pilot (which is what you need.) And hey, don’t mess around with cheap techniques. They’ll cost you time, money and your vocal health in the long run.

2.  Secret #2: Signature Style

Singers that catch our attention have their own style and sound. They sing with their Voice, not someone else’s. They don’t mimic. As tempting as it might be to do, do not copy another singers sound. Find your own.

Quick Tip: How do you find your own sound? Here’s three things to try:

• Sing and perform a LOT. Every chance you get. It takes a lot of singing to get good.
• Go more in the direction of what your voice wants to do. Don’t fight it, be yourself. Great singers build on what they have, not what they don’t have.
• Record a lot. Work with a vocal arranger or coach who can help you build your sound.

3.  Secret #3: Badass Breath Control

Yep. This is a big one. I get this question all the time. How do I hit high notes with more power? How do I belt? How do I hold a note better. It’s all breath. Breath brings fullness, range, big notes, high notes and power to the voice. Air and breath are the fuel for your voice. It makes sound by creating movement at the vocal folds so they can vibrate. Most singers don’t breathe enough and often their breathing muscles are tight and constricted. Use your breath to better fuel your voice and to open your rib-cage allowing the diaphragm to drop.

4.  Secret #4: Killer Clarity & Tone

People always ask me, what’s the most important “tell” of a singer’s voice. What’s the one thing, that makes great singers so intoxicating. I would say “tone.” It’s the first thing to please or to offend the listener. A nasal or throaty tone vs. an open or full timbre or interesting texture make a difference in how the voice lands in our ears.

Quick Tip: How does one develop better tone? Technique is the true path. A quick fix is to sing without pushing air past your vocal cords. And the quickest path is to use Hearfones in technique or rehearsal at home. They will help you build tone faster than anything else. Find them on Amazon.

5.  Secret #5: Original Riffs and Runs

I remember in the 80’s when I was an aspiring singer in New York. I remember hearing about Mariah Carey (who sang backup for Teena Marie at the time.) She would practice riffs all the time. Sitting on the bus, waitin’ for a train, walking around Manhattan, she would practice her runs. Riffs, runs, and melismas are one of the distinct features that brings an original sound to a great voice. Everyone uses them differently. Some use a lot of them, and some singers use few. It’s all about taste and style. As a vocal arranger, I style the person’s voice depending on their genre and aesthetic. It makes all the difference in the delivery.

Quick Tip: Start by practicing runs of singers you love to learn the pentatonic scales and the kinds of runs they do. Work them into your voice like a vocal exercise. Riffs take practice to perfect speed and accuracy. Then once you’ve got them under your belt, bring your own twist to your runs to make them more original 😉.

6.  Secret #6: A Solid Belt Voice

All great singers master their belt voice. Commonly referred to as “chest” voice, it’s the ability to to sing with power. On a technical level this means having laryngeal compression or resistance. When you sing with more power or force, generally you are sending more air which pushes up against the laryngeal muscles (your voice box) and pushes it upward. This leaves the voice vulnerable to cracking, shaking and it won’t be able to handle the force of the air.

Quick Tip: Think down for higher notes. Work to keep your voice in chest voice to improve laryngeal resistance and build your chest voice. Don’t force it, but build slowly and healthfully.

7.  Secret # 7: Amazing Phrasing

One of the biggest “tells” of a great singer is their phrasing. Phrasing is the rhythm of the vocal line – how it sits in the music. Phrasing in pop music comes from rhythm and blues, so if you want better phrasing, study blues singers to sit in the music more effectively. Improving your rhythm skills by taking up drums or tapping the beat of the music while you sing to get that internal metronome inside you, are ways to beef up your skills. Many famous singers are drummers. A little known fact of the album 25 is that Adele played drums on “Hello” alongside producer Greg Kurstin. Marvin Gaye, Don Henley and Peter Gabriel are also drummers, besides being vocalists. My past Grammy winning student Donald Fagen of Steely Dan, was chosen as the lead singer for Steely Dan, not because of his vocal quality, as much as his ability to phrase. He had great vocal phrasing. It makes great singers.

Quick Tip: Sing “the blues” to take your phrasing up several notches. Learn to sit in to the music, don’t rush your phrases or you’ll sound too “eager.” Also, try singing your own songs with a more “blues” approach by adding scoops and simple riffs where appropriate.

Full article https://www.caricole.com/15-best-kept-secrets-grammy-winning-singers-2/